Author Topic: Completed Physical Models  (Read 16525 times)

Offline LemonJello

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Completed Physical Models
« on: April 01, 2015, 09:40:45 AM »
As the name suggests, a place to put your completed physical models. 

Offline Buzzbomb

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Re: Completed Physical Models
« Reply #1 on: May 20, 2015, 06:27:42 AM »
First In !

The BEVVY, British Engineer Vehicle Mk1



Build Thread

Offline Acree

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  • Sentenced to time in the BTS Gulag...
Re: Completed Physical Models
« Reply #2 on: May 20, 2015, 01:18:11 PM »
In 1920, the Cuerpo de Aviacion Militar (CAM) of Guatemala acquired a single Nieuport 28C-1 fighter.  The Nieuport was written off in 1924 (cause unknown, at least to me).

[end of real history]

After the Nieuport was written off because of the failure of its Gnome 9N rotary engine, the hulk was taken into the repair shops for an extensive rebuild.  The Nieuport spent over two years in the shop.  Unable to obtain a new Gnome 9N, the chief engineer Francisco Zevala cast about for a replacement.  He finally found a "suitable" engine when millionaire Guatemalan-American playboy Leo Barillas offered to donate the Liberty engine from his racing motor launch.

This engine was not really suitable, since it was 50% heavier and almost three times the power of the Gnome.  Zevala persisted nevertheless and designed a crude mounting for the new engine.  Other modifications to the Nieuport included contemporary wheels with brakes, a tailwheel in place of the skid, and two drum-fed Lewis guns in place of the original Vickers guns.  The Nieuport emerged from the CAM workshops on September 12, 1926, and after static runs and taxi tests, made it's first flight on September 15 (Guatemalan Independence Day).  Christened "El Conquistador," the Nieuport roared down the grass at La Aurora under the guidance of CAM's senior pilot, Tenente Colonel Carlos Pastanos.  Unfortunately, the torque from the big Liberty pulled the Conquistador in a right-hand curve off the takeoff path, and Pastanos had to abort the takeoff.  After two more unsuccessful attempts, Zevala and Pastanos consulted and determined the power of the Liberty would have to be limited.  Zevada installed a physical stop (in the guise of a simple bolt on the throttle quadrant) that stopped the throttle from going to the full open position.  After this modification, El Conquistador finally got airborne, but turned out to be quite a handful for Pastanos.  The heavy engine drastically reduced maneuverability, and made the aircraft very nose-heavy.  Pastanos nevertheless managed to land the Nieuport safely, though the spectators let out a great gasp when he applied the wheel brakes and the tail rose, threatening to nose over the aircraft.

Subsequently, Zevada installed 60 pounds of lead in the tail of El Conquistador, which dramatically improved maneuverability and reduced the danger of nose-overs.  El Conquistador continued in service with the CAM until 1937, though it was frequently out of service for repairs, including many propeller repairs and replacements (nose overs were still a problem).

El Conquistador finally met its demise due to a takeoff accident in 1937 which ended in the destruction of the aircraft, as well as a small hangar.  The pilot (Tenente Jose Ramora) was killed.  An investigation determined that several pilots (including Ramora) had requested that the ground crew move the throttle-limiting bolt forward ("un poquito solamente" - "just a little").  At least three mechanics had secretly acquiesced to the pilots' requests, until the safety margin was finally gone.

Thus ends the long career of the Nieuport 28 in Guatemalan service, and (apparently) the last military use of the Nieuport 29 anywhere!

This build was based on the Revell (Germany) Nieuport 28C-1 kit I received as a prize for the Great War GB.  The engine is built up from various bits and bobs, mostly leftover from my Curtiss H-16 build.  The guns come from the H-16 also.  All three wheels and the propeller are from an Airfix Kingfisher, and the decals from Aztec Models' Guatemalan sheet. 

Offline Kerick

  • Reportedly finished with a stripper...
Re: Completed Physical Models
« Reply #3 on: May 26, 2015, 06:58:32 AM »
F-101E Voodoo II is done!



Here's a link to the entire album if you are so inclined, https://www.flickr.com/gp/128586659@N07/V442j6

http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=5329.0
« Last Edit: June 01, 2015, 07:24:56 AM by kerick »

« Last Edit: June 04, 2015, 05:06:21 PM by polygon »

Offline Bryan H.

  • Newly Joined - Welcome me!
Re: Completed Physical Models - Royal Canadian Navy A-4F+ Super Skyhawk
« Reply #5 on: June 03, 2015, 10:14:43 AM »
In the 60's the Canadian military chose the Douglas A-4F as it's new light fighter, beating out Northrop's F-5.  For the Canadian military, an important deciding factor for the Scooter was it is designed for carrier operations.  Canadair begins license production of the A-4F in the late 60's producing over 150 units for the RCAF and the RCN.  Additional production goes to the Netherlands, Norway, Belgium and Italy. 

Also in the late, 60's a "NATO carrier" was in the planning stages.  The NATO carrier was to be a class of medium/light CV (somewhat analogous in size to the Essex-class (post SCB-27/SCB-125 modernization) or Clemenceau-class.  However, the plan was to produce enough hulls, on an almost assembly line like basis, to replace all of the aging WWII era carriers (the Essex-class, Centaur-class, Majestic-class, Colossus-class, etc.).  The NATO carrier was to be produced in volume and with similar levels of equipment to reduce costs.  Additionally, they were designed so that shipyards in all of the major NATO countries could build them.  NATO leadership made this carrier a priority and by the mid-70's the CVV was found in slips in shipyards on both sides of the Atlantic. 

The US ended up using it's CVV's as an adjunct to it's heavy carrier force (the Nimitz's, Forrestal's & Enterprise) ordering 5, the UK built 3, the French Navy and Canadian Navy ordered 2, and the Italian, Spanish, Netherlands and German Navies all built 1.  Additionally, outside of NATO, the Australian Navy ordered 2 and the Argentine, Brazilian and Indian Navies all bought 1.  All told by the end of the 80's, 19 CVV's were built.  By the mid-90's additional orders were coming in, with the Japanese Navy indicating interest in ordering at least 1 and the Indian Navy wanting to place follow on orders for 2 additional units.

For the RCN, the CVV brought a new lease on life to it's Naval Air Arm.  Canadair renewed it's production contract with McDonnell Douglas for additional units of A-4M Skyhawks.  However, legacy A-4F's were not neglected.  Along with the newer A-4M's, all Canadian A-4's (both A-4F's and A-4M's) received a thorough modernization, starting with new GE F404 engines.  The Canadian Super Skyhawks also received modern ECM systems, electronics, an internal targeting & laser designation system, a modern radar and numerous other upgrades. 

The typical Canadian carrier air wing now features modernized A-4's, F/A-18C's and F/A-14E's (ASF-14/Super Tomcat 21's).

Here's my RCN A-4F+ (CA-4F+) Super Skyhawk, this particular aircraft is seen during an lengthy cruise to South America, French Polynesia and a Red Flag exercises in Nevada.  She was also used to test a new formula of paint with stealth characteristics in a salty, marine environment.  The paint did not fair well in the salt-air and variable temperatures from the North Atlantic to the Caribbean to the South Pacific Ocean...

Cheers & happy modeling, Bryan
« Last Edit: June 03, 2015, 10:36:30 AM by Bryan H. »

Offline LemonJello

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Re: Completed Physical Models
« Reply #6 on: June 03, 2015, 07:55:15 PM »
Too cool! Very nice work.

Online Claymore

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Re: Completed Physical Models
« Reply #7 on: June 08, 2015, 06:33:24 AM »
At last... 

The M4A3E8 UCV

Please see the build thread for details and more pictures.

Following the Yom Kippur War, the IDF had introduced a bespoke AFV Escort vehicle in the shape of the Magach 5 Avenger (a previous kitbash).  Armed with a 30mm GAU-8 rotary cannon, the Magach 5 had been well liked by its crews and the infantry alike but the cannon had proved to be a little on the brutal side when fighting in built up areas even for the IDF.  However, by the mid-1990s and the height of the South Lebanon Conflict, the IDF and population of northern Israel were growing weary of Hezbollah’s continued rocket attacks.  In Apr 1996, Operation Grapes of Wrath was launched to clear Hezbollah out of Southern Lebanon and the gloves were most definitely off. 

The need for a Magach 5-like urban escort vehicle was understood but nothing was readily available and there was no particular desire to detract from the planned AFV construction schedule.  Fortunately, the IDF’s Technological and Logistics Directorate had some suitable trials vehicles to hand and without further ado they were unceremonially pressed in to service.   The three vehicles carried a GAU-12 in a M2 Bradley turret (purchased for an earlier Heavy APC trial) mounted on a M4A3E8 Sherman hull.  The turrets were the primary goal of the study and the Shermans had been selected for no other reason than they were already available in the research and development facility.  As it turned out, the mating of these two unlikely partners produced a surprisingly simple and efficient offspring.

As no-one had ever envisaged the elderly Shermans actually going into battle, it was decided to give them as much of a sporting chance as possible and therefore, a layer of Blazer Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA) was added. For additional utility, and an extra degree of frontal protection, a dozer blade was also mounted.

As the fighting intensified, the three M4A3E8 Urban Combat Vehicles (UCV) - Raam (Thunder), Barak (Lightning) and Saar (Storm) - proved their worth on numerous occasions and became a firm favourite with the infantry and tankers alike in the resulting destruction of Hezbollah’s South-Lebanon command.

The model depicts Saar (Storm) and is made from parts of an old Tamiya M4A3, a Tamiya M2 Bradly, a AFV Club M4A3E8 HVSS and track set, a Verlinden M113 dozer blade, the ubiquitous white plastic card and some bits and pieces from the spares box. 







« Last Edit: November 02, 2023, 10:42:39 PM by Claymore »
Pass the razor saw, there is work to be done!

Offline ed s

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Re: Completed Physical Models
« Reply #8 on: June 09, 2015, 11:51:22 AM »
In the early 70's the Soviet Air Staff commissioned a study of airpower in Close Air Support (CAS) and Counter Insurgency (COIN) warfare. One significant finding was the realization that the best aircraft to support friendly forces were not the latest, greatest, fastest jet fighters. But rather what worked best was a slower, more maneuverable, rugged aircraft that could get down low, find small targets, put heavy firepower on the target and survive intense ground fire. The ability to "dogfight" with the latest greatest jet fighters wasn't a major factor. Outside of the Yalu Valley in Korea or in North Vietnam, there weren't significant air to air threats to consider in the CAS/COIN operation. The USAF and Navy had to relearn this in Korea and ended up using Skyraiders, Corsairs, and Mustangs. They promptly forgot this lesson and had to relearn it again in Vietnam where once again the Skyraider was the best aircraft for the mission. The French in Indochina and North Africa had found the same thing and their most effective aircraft were leftover WWII fighter-bombers and armed training aircraft. Interesting, the Soviet Union virtually invented this type of aircraft during WWII with their IL-2 Schturmovik. And there was a recommendation to bring the Schturmovik back to service. Most of the tooling was still available to begin new production. However, it was decided to update the Schturmovik with a new turboprop engine, new avionics, new cockpit systems, ejection seats and the ability to employ modern sensors and guided weapons. The rear seat gunner was retained, but was turned around to face forward and became a sensor system operator and observer. A number of these new Schturmoviks ended up in Africa and Asia fighting in the numerous  "Small" wars of the 70's and 80's. One of these users was the Afghan Peoples Republic where they were used effectively again the Taliban and Mujaheddin fighters.

The model is the KP 1/72 IL-10 Schturmovik. The nose was redone with brass and steel tubing to make the turboprop. A new canopy found in the spare parts bucket. Modern weapons were added.





Build thread:  http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=5336.15

Ed

Offline LemonJello

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Re: Completed Physical Models
« Reply #9 on: June 09, 2015, 07:55:46 PM »
Nice! I like everything about it. 

Offline Acree

  • That will teach you to frustrate the powers that be...won't it comrade?
  • Sentenced to time in the BTS Gulag...
McDonnell Douglas EB-66F Wild Badger.
« Reply #10 on: June 11, 2015, 02:37:21 PM »
 The Douglas EB-66 had proven itself a valuable asset during the Vietnam conflict, but by 1972 it was clear that the useful life of the aircraft was nearing an end.  The J-71 engines of the B-66 were simply inadequate for the job of lifting the heavy load of additional equipment that had been added to the EB (they were never really adequate at all, but now their shortcomings were overwhelming).  In addition, there were other problems with the airframes that needed a major retrofit, in particular the fuel system.
There was considerable debate in the Pentagon about what to do about an EB-66 replacement.  One faction wanted to refurbish and retrofit early F-111As.  Another faction wanted to adopt the Navy’s Grumman EA-6B.  And a third faction campaigned to have the existing EB-66s refurbished and re-engined.  In the end, the EA-6B option was eliminated due to Air Force parochialism (the USAF did not want to buy ANOTHER Navy plane after the F-4, A-1, A-7, etc.).  The F-111A option was initially favored, but tabled for a later date, as the F-111 was still a relatively new fighter.  In the meantime, the B-66 option won the day.  All available B-66 airframes were returned to the Douglas plant in Long Beach, CA (by then a division of McDonnell Douglas).  There, the aircraft were virtually remanufactured.  The airframes were brought to a zero time condition; the fuel system was completely redesigned and included an air refueling receptacle (in place of the former probe).  The problematic J-71 engines were discarded in favor of TF-33 turbofans providing 65% more power and greater fuel economy.  The aircraft also received a completely modernized suite of electronic warfare equipment including the AN/ALQ-99E jamming system housed in a ventral canoe fairing as well as the fin-top “football” antenna, and the extended tailcone.  Communications jammers, chaff and flare dispensers were also mounted.  The EB-66F (as the new aircraft was designated) was also equipped to carry, target and launch AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missiles, as well as a self-protection jamming pod on a left wing pylon.
The rebuilt aircraft were given new serial numbers in the 72-xxx range, and entered service at Shaw AFB, SC and Spangdahlem AB, Germany starting in 1975.  The aircraft shown here saw combat in January, 1991 as part of Operation Desert Storm in Iraq. 

Link to build thread: http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=5456.0

« Last Edit: June 11, 2015, 02:39:08 PM by Acree »